Limina VR Exhibition App To Debut At 2018 Encounters Film Festival

Two leading Bristol virtual reality companies together launch new app that makes it easy for cultural venues to set up their own VR cinemas

New product will preview in beta at Encounters Film Festival, 25th – 30th September at Watershed.

The software system, officially releasing in early 2019 will allow arts venues and cultural attractions to set up their own virtual reality theatres in existing spaces. Groups of ticket-holders can experience curated selections of VR experiences, simultaneously.

After two years of extensive research and testing, Limina saw the high demand from mainstream audiences for artistic VR, including at last year’s sold-out Limina VR Weekender with Watershed. Limina and Zubr plan for the app to get VR to at least 100,000 audience members in 2019. This new straightforward and scalable solution makes it easy for venues to capitalise on audience demand for all things immersive.

The teams’ joint analysis has demonstrated that this product has the potential to disrupt the out-of-home digital entertainment sector, boosting the South West’s global reputation in VR and bringing jobs to the area. The new product will be used throughout Encounters Festival next week in Watershed – the longest running short film and animation festival in the UK.

“We’ve seen first hand the audience demand for immersive experiences in cultural venues. It is this demand that has led to Zubr’s commercial success and our subsequent investment in Limina. We are going to eliminate the current faff that venues have to endure in putting larger audience groups through VR.”

Jack Norris, MD of Zubr

Zubr are a commercially orientated VR development company who invest significantly in their own R&D. As well as being Limina’s software development partner, they are also investing in Limina. Zubr have previously provided in-location VR solutions for venues including the Eden Project and We the Curious, where their experiences have amassed over 25,000 unique users.

“Reducing the barriers to entry into the world of VR is something I am deeply passionate about. Our VR exhibition app means that any venue can smoothly exhibit VR if it has the space and a paying audience. We’re excited to be previewing the Limina VR Exhibition app at Encounters a really pioneering festival.”

Catherine Allen, founder of Limina Immersive

Encounters Festival’s VR strand runs from Weds 26th September to Sunday 30th in Watershed. VR screenings will run throughout the day and are open to the public. Tickets can be purchased from encounters-festival.org.uk